Fluid control apparatus



July 9, 1963 I J. E. wooDs 3,096,936

FLUID CONTROL APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1961 50 26 5 FIG-5 60 3p 40INVENTOR. 22/ 23 5g 42 74 70 JOHN E. wooos; 55 A 5 6 WM WW1 ATTORNEYUnited States Patent ()1 3,096,936 Patented July 9, 1963 ice 3,096,936FLUID CONTROL APPARATUS John E. Woods, Cohasset, Mass, assignor toStandard- Thomson Corporation, Waltham, Mass., a corporation of DelawareFiled Mar. 2, 19631, Ser. No. 92,801 2 Claims. ((11. 236-456) Thisinvention relates to fluid control apparatus. The invention relates moreparticularly to thermal responsive fluid control apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide thermal responsive valveapparatus which is capable of operation within a small space but whichis capable of controlling relatively high volumes of fluid at relativelyhigh pressures.

Another object of this invention is to provide such apparatus which canbe used as a steam trap device or other thermal responsive fluid controlmechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide such apparatus which canbe constructed and installed at relatively low costs.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof, the method of manufacture, and the mode ofoperation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing apparatus of this inventiondisposed in a conduit member, parts of which are broken away.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, drawn on a scale somewhat larger than thatof FIGURE 1, of apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, similar to FIGURE 2, but showing theapparatus in a position of operation.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, similar to FIGURES 2 and 3, showing theapparatus in another position of operation.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view, drawn on substantially the same scale asFIGURE 1 and showing the apparatus in the same position of operation asFIGURE 2, but showing a housing for the apparatus with fluid movingthrough the housing.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of FIGURE2..

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 77 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 88 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, apparatus of this inventioncomprises an end member 10 provided with an opening 12 therethrough.Enco-mpassing the end member 10 is a sealing member 14 of any suitabletype which is herein shown as being an elas-tomeric O-ring member.

Attached to the end member 10 are a plurality of spaced-apart parallelarm members 16. The arm members 16 are connected to an elongate retainermember 20. Within the retainer member 20 are a pair of annular ribs 22.

In abutting engagement with one of the ribs 22 is a guide member 24-. Inabutting engagement with the other rib 22 is a guide member 26. Each ofthe guide members 24 and 26 is substantially in the form of a disc orwheel having a plurality of spokes extending from a hub portion, asshown in FIGURES 7 and 8. A comprmsion spring 28 is disposed between theguide members 24 and 26 and urges these guide members 24 and 26 one fromthe other and against the rib-s 22. The guide member 26 has a tube orsleeve 31} attached thereto at the central portion thereof. The tube 30slidably extends through the central portion of the guide member 24.

Disposed within the tube 30 and extending therefrom is a rod or piston32. The rod 32 is threadedly adjustably connected to the inner surfaceof the tube 30.

The rod 32 extends toward the end member 10 and has a portion slidablydisposed within a container 34. Within the container 34 is a quantity ofthermal responsive expansible-contraotible material 36, shown in FIG-URE 2. The expansible-contractible material 36 may be any suitablematerial having appreciable expansion characteristics over a giventemperature range.

The container 34 has a flange portion 40 which is engaged by acompression spring 42. The compression spring 42 also engages the endmember 10' and urges the container 34 in a direction away from the endmember 10. The container 3-4 also has a nose 46 which is engageable withthe end member 10 to close the opening 12.

The spring 42 has lesser expansive forces than does the spring 28 whichengages the guide members 24 and 26. The reason for this is discussedbelow.

As stated above, the apparatus of this invention may be used as a steamtrap. When the apparatus is so used, it may be disposed within a housing50 wd a conduit 52, which is connected thereto, as shown in FIG- URE 5.A cap member 54 closes an opening in the housing 50 so that the valveapparatus may be inserted through the opening in the housing 5G. Thehousing 50 has a portion 55 which may be in communication with a steamline. The conduit 52 communicates with the atmosphere.

The end portion 10 is thus located within the conduit 52 with thesealing member 14 in engagement therewith. The retainer member 20 isprovided with a plurality of lugs 56 extending laterally therefrom andwhich engage the end of the conduit 52 to limit the extent of theapparatus within the conduit 52. Due to the fact that the diameter ofthe end member 10 and the retainer member 20 is less than the insidediameter of the conduit 52, passages 64 are provided for flow of fluidbetween the retainer member 20 and the conduit 52, as shown in FIGURES 5and 7.

The retainer member 20 is shown as being provided with extensions 60which may be used to aid in positioning the apparatus within the housing50 and the conduit 52 and for removal of the apparatus therefrom.

Operation As shown by arrows in FIGURE 5, when the apparatus is at atemperature below a given value, fluid may pass through the housing 50into the conduit 52 and through the opening 12 in the end member 10. Thefluid comes into contact with the container 34. When the valve apparatusis used as a steam trap, air is forced from the steam line in the mannershown by arrows in FIG- URE 5. However, steam moving into the steam lineforces all of the air from the line and comes into contact with thecontainer 34. The steam heats the container 34 and theexpansible-contractible material 36 therewit-hin sufficiently to causeexpansion of the material 36. This expansion causes the material 36 toapply pressures upon the end of the rod or piston 32 which extendsWithin the container 34, as shown in FIGURE 2. These forces upon the rod32 urge relative movement between the rod 32 and the container 34.

As stated above, the rod 32 is threadedly attached to the tube or sleeve30. The sleeve 30* is attached to the guide member 26. The guide member26 is held in position by the spring 28, which, as stated above, hasgreater forces against further compression thereof than does the spring42. Therefore, as expansive forces within the container 34 urge relativemovement between the container 34 and the rod 32, the container 34 isforced to move toward the end member 10 as the spring 42 is furthercompressed. Sufiicient movement of the container 34- causes the nose 46thereof to engage the end member 10, closing the opening 12, as shown inFIGURE 3. Thus, fluid is restrained against passage through the opening12. Therefore, in steam trap operation the steam is retained within thesteam lines after air has been purged therefrom.

' If the temperature of the steam should increase after the opening 12is closed in the manner shown in FIGURE 3, increased forces of thematerial 36 within the container 34 urge further relative movementbetween the container 34 and the rod 3 2. Due to the fact that thecontainer 34 is in engagement with the end member 10, there can be nofurther movement of the container 34 toward the end member 19.Therefore, increased forces within the container 34- force the rod 3-2in a direction away from the container 34. This movement of the rod 32moves the sleeve 31) which is attached thereto. This movement of thesleeve 39 moves the guide member 26 which is attached thereto. The guidemember 26, moving toward the guide member 24 forces greater cornpressionof the spring 28. The sleeve 30 slidably moves through the guide member24, as shovm in FIGURE 4. Thus, the apparatus maintains the steamentrapped wit in the steam lines at higher temperatures but theapparatus is not damaged by the increased forces resulting therefrom. v

The temperature at which the container member 34 begins to move in adirection from the rod 32 to close the opening 12 of the end member maybe adjusted by threadedly rotating the rod 32 to change the positionthereof with respect to the sleeve 39.

As shown in the drawings, the apparatus of this invention can be readilyand easily disposed within a small space. The apparatus operatesefliciently and efleotively to control fluid within a conduit.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, itwill be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts,

the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally statedconsist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, asdisclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A unitary steam trap for insertion within a conduit comprising avalve mechanism, the valve mechanism including an annular closure memberslidably movable and positionable within the conduit and in sealingengagement therewith, the closure member having an opening therethrough,a plurality of connector members attached to the closure member andextending in an axial direction therefrom and adapted to be positionedwithin the conduit, retainer means joining all of the connector memberstogether at positions spaced from the closure member, a portion of theretainer means being engageable with the conduit, a pair of spaced-apartguide members retained by the retainer means, the guide members beingrelatively movable, each guide member having a central portion and anouter portion, the outer portion of each guide member being inengagement with the retainer means, a spring member intermediate theguide members and in engagement therewith and urging the guide membersin directions one from the other, the retainer means having abutmentmeans preventing movement of the guide members beyond a given amount,the guide members being substantially coaxial one with the other andwith the opening in said closure member, a sleeve attached to the guidemember which is closest to the closure mem ber, the sleeve slidablyextending through the other guide member and coaxial with the guidemembers, a rod within the tube and attached thereto, the rod extendingtoward the closure member, a container having an end portion adjacentthe closure member, the rod slidably extending into the container, thecontainer being movable with respect to the rod so that the end portionof the container is engageable with the closure member to close theopening therethrough, thermal responsive material Within the containerand in engagement with the rod, the thermal responsive material beingexpansible to apply forces directly upon the rod urging relativemovement between the rod and the container, a compression spring inengagement with the container and the closure member and urging thecontainer in a direction from the closure member.

2. Fluid control apparatus comprising a conduit having an end portion, ahousing encompassing said end portion of the conduit and attachedthereto, valve apparatus within the housing and within the conduit, thevalve apparatus including support structure, a portion of the supportstructure being in abutting'relation with the end of the conduit andthus positioning the valve apparatus with respect to the conduit andwith respect to the housing, a stationary closure member attached to thesupport structure, the stationary closure member being within theconduit and in sealing engagement therewith, the stationary closuremember having a passage therethrough, a movable closure member carriedby the support structure and engageable with the stationary closuremember to close the passage therethrough, the movable closure memberhaving a portion provided with a cavity therein, thermal responsivematerial within the cavity, abutment means engageable by the thermalresponsive material to cause relative movement between the movableclosure member and the stationary closure member upon expansion of thethermal responsive material.

, References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSGermany July 24, 1930

2. FLUID CONTROL APPARATUS COMPRISING A CONDUIT HAVING AN END PORTION, AHOUSING ENCOMPASSING SAID END PORTION OF THE CONDUIT AND ATTACHEDTHERETO, VALVE APPARATUS WITHIN THE HOUSING AND WITHIN THE CONDUIT, THEVALVE APPARATUS INCLUDING SUPPORT STRUCTURE, A PORTION OF THE SUPPORTSTRUCTURE BEING IN ABUTTING RELATION WITH THE END OF THE CONDUIT ANDTHUS POSITIONING THE VALVE APPARATUS WITH RESPECT TO THE CONDUIT ANDWITH RESPECT TO THE HOUSING, A STATIONARY CLOSURE MEMBER ATTACHED TO THESUPPORT STRUCTURE, THE STATIONARY CLOSURE MEMBER BEING WITHIN THECONDUIT AND IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, THE STA-